Sunset Granola is bit too tart for us, but if you like the flavor profile, it’s very spunky. It has blueberries, cranberries, ginger, nectarines, pumpkin seeds, roast hazelnuts and strawberries. The sweetness of the honey used to toast the oats contrasts with the tartness of the cranberries.

No.5, Sunset Granola.

A Brief History Of Granola & Muesli

Muesli, the German word for “mixture,” is a breakfast cereal of Swiss origin, made of uncooked grains, nuts and dried fruits. The product was developed in the late 1890s by Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner (1867-1939), a physician and a pioneer in nutritional research, as a health food for his Zürich sanatorium patients. It was originally called Birchermüesli, a name under which it can still be found from some manufacturers.

In contrast to opinions about nutrition in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bircher-Benner advocated a diet heavy in uncooked fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Muesli itself is supposedly based on a dish he and his wife encountered among Alpine shepherds.

Dr. Bircher-Benner’s recipe was different from what is called muesli today. Rolled oats, fresh-grated apples and ground almonds or hazelnuts were made into a type of mush. Muesli in its modern form became popular in western countries in the 1960s as part of increased interest in healthy vegetarian diets. It is usually eaten with milk, yogurt or fruit juice, and is different from granola.

Granola and Granula were trademarked products in the late 19th century in the U.S. Whole grain products, they were crumbled and baked until crispy. The food and name were revived in the 1960s, and fruits and nuts were added to make it a health food popular with the hippie movement. Today’s granolas often include brown sugar (not a health food).

Sprinkle either cereal over fresh fruit or yogurt, enjoy it with milk, or heat it up into a porridge. There's no need to add sugar—even with those tart cranberries, the other Southern Alps fruits sweeten the bowl.

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